Health Services Careers

If you’re interested in working with patients in some capacity, consider a career in health services. Health services professionals include nurses, technicians, health administrators, managers, counselors, and physicians.

Discover more about health services, including the different categories, job opportunities, and salaries in this guide.

Many healthcare providers use the terms healthcare and health services interchangeably. People receive healthcare services when they visit a hospital, clinic, or other healthcare setting. This entails any health-related service provided by a healthcare professional, from processing new patient paperwork to performing health assessments and providing treatment.

Healthcare professionals collaborate to determine which services patients need to recover. They may provide these services directly or refer patients to a specialist. Professionals in health services careers use their specialized education and training to inform their suggested care plans to patients.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

You can explore many health services career paths, including medical, allied health, mental health, and healthcare administration. Each features different education and experience requirements, and some roles also offer greater salary potential.

This section describes healthcare services careers and projected job growth statistics for 2022-2032. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) makes these projections by analyzing hiring, retirement, and economic trends. Keep in mind that changing economic circumstances, such as recessions, can significantly affect actual job growth.

Medical professionals include physicians, surgeons, and nurses. Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat patients experiencing illness or injury. Nurses specialize in performing medical tests, administering medication, and recording patients’ medical histories.

Although the BLS projects only a 3% job growth rate for physicians and surgeons, specialties with better growth potential include psychiatrists and pathologists. The BLS projects 6% growth for registered nurses, which is somewhat faster than the average projected growth for all U.S. professions.

Learn more about nursing degrees and careers

The allied health field includes all healthcare workers besides physicians, surgeons, and nurses. Allied health professionals can work as medical assistants, laboratory technologists, or occupational therapists. These and other careers may require specialized education and training, working directly with patients, and licensure.

The BLS projects the need for respiratory therapists to grow by 13%, faster than many other health services careers. Although the BLS projects only 5% growth in the clinical laboratory technologist field, some entry-level positions require only an associate degree.

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Mental health professionals such as psychologists, therapists, and counselors treat mental health disorders. Insights gained through testing or therapy sessions let mental health workers develop a treatment plan, including cognitive-behavioral therapy. They may refer patients to a psychiatrist if they think patients would benefit from medication.

The BLS projects 6% growth in the psychology field, with the greatest need in clinical and counseling psychology. The BLS projects an impressive 15% growth rate for marriage and family therapists. The BLS bases this figure on the increasing popularity of integrated care.

Medical and health services managers coordinate budgets, develop employees’ work schedules, and act as their employer’s public face. They may coordinate activities at a hospital, nursing home, or other healthcare setting. Well-paying healthcare administration careers include chief nursing officer, nursing director, and hospital CEO.

Demographic and technological trends led the BLS to project a 28% growth rate for medical and health services managers. This figure significantly exceeds the BLS projection of 3% growth for top executives in all U.S. industries.

Many workers, including MRI technologists, pharmacy technicians, and home health aides, support other medical professionals and assist patients. They can work under a licensed physician, nurse, or pharmacist and may not provide patient care. However, many healthcare support roles require direct patient contact.

The BLS projects a strong 6% growth for pharmacy technicians due to the increasing number of older Americans with chronic diseases. These same trends led to the BLS projecting 22% growth in the need for home and personal care aids.

Public health services professionals work with individuals and communities to promote better healthcare outcomes. Their campaigns educate people about poor health habits and ways to make positive changes. They may specialize in one of many areas, such as maternal health, health policy, or public health.

The BLS projects a 7% growth rate for health education specialists, based on local, state, and federal investments in public health education.

Learn more about Best Online Bachelor’s in Public Health Programs

EMTs and paramedics respond to emergency calls, assess patients’ vital signs, administer treatment, and transport patients to a hospital or another healthcare facility. Although these professionals work side by side, paramedics’ advanced training lets them administer medication and monitor bodily functions.

The BLS projects the need for EMTs and paramedics to grow by 5%, somewhat faster than the average projection for all U.S. jobs. Completing paramedic training and earning industry certifications can increase your competitiveness in a tight job market.

Alternative and holistic medicine exists outside of traditional healthcare. Practices that include acupuncture come from ancient medical traditions. Some patients find value in alternative and holistic medicine due to its focus on patients’ spiritual needs and the patient as an individual.

Top-paying states for acupuncturists include Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Florida. Professionals in these states earn an average salary exceeding $107,000. Oregon and New Jersey also feature a high average salary.